QI'm a young Communist, and I'm having a lot of trouble with arguments. How do I hold an argument with Conservatives?
AHi David,
Thanks for writing in, and for a good, practical question about how to engage in ideological struggle.
The short answer is, why are you arguing with conservatives? What's your goal in having the conversation? Remember that our objective, as communists, is to win people to our way of thinking--not to score points or show everyone how clever or how passionate we are. Sometimes, right-wingers use arguments as traps, to bog you down and waste your time. If the other person keeps moving the goalposts, or isn't talking with you in good faith, sometimes it's best to let it go.
Focus on people who are still on the fence, who haven't made up their mind yet. Have conversations that can bring them to your side. Ask questions, listen to and engage with the answers, and don't be afraid to ask for a concrete commitment, like attending an event or signing a petition.
Most importantly, see this as a process. You will also learn from them, from your collective interactions, and from your reading and study how to help working class people understand their real interests. This task is forever, so learn to enjoy it!
Image: CPUSA organizer Tony Pecinovsky talks with residents of St. Louis. Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Workers Education Society.
Thanks for writing in, and for a good, practical question about how to engage in ideological struggle.
The short answer is, why are you arguing with conservatives? What's your goal in having the conversation? Remember that our objective, as communists, is to win people to our way of thinking--not to score points or show everyone how clever or how passionate we are. Sometimes, right-wingers use arguments as traps, to bog you down and waste your time. If the other person keeps moving the goalposts, or isn't talking with you in good faith, sometimes it's best to let it go.
Focus on people who are still on the fence, who haven't made up their mind yet. Have conversations that can bring them to your side. Ask questions, listen to and engage with the answers, and don't be afraid to ask for a concrete commitment, like attending an event or signing a petition.
Most importantly, see this as a process. You will also learn from them, from your collective interactions, and from your reading and study how to help working class people understand their real interests. This task is forever, so learn to enjoy it!
Image: CPUSA organizer Tony Pecinovsky talks with residents of St. Louis. Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Workers Education Society.
Author
Michelle Kern has worked as part-time faculty in the Bay Area as a ceramics teacher for seven years. She has lived and worked primarily in the East Bay in the arts, including work at the Richmond Art Center and helping to found the independent art gallery Cricket Engine in Oakland. She relocated back to her native Peninsula four years ago to be closer to work, and now is beginning art, activism and union activity here in Silicon Valley.
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